Plug-tripping device



Oct; 13,1925. 1,557,029

0. A. COLBY PLUG TRIPFING DEVICE Filed Dec. 13, 1923 Fig 1 INVENTOR Ora A. C olby ATTORNEY :J/ITNESSES:

Patented Oct. 13, 1925.

UNITED sures PATENT OFFICE.

ORA A. COLBY, or mwm, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING company, A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA.

PLUG-TRIPPING DEVICE.

Application filed December 13, 1923.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ORA A. Comer, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Irwin, in the county of \Vest-moreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Plug-Tripping Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electrically heated devices and particularly to plug tripping devices.

The object of my invention is to provide a relatively small means for removing contact plugs from operative en agement with the contact pins of a porta le electrically heated device without tending to move said device relatively to a supportin surface.

In practicing my invention, I provide a lever, of substantially U-shape, that is pivotally mounted on an electrically heated device and that has an annular member loosely operatively secured thereto and surrounding the contact plug.

In the single sheet of drawings,

Figure 1 is a view, in side elevation, of an electrically heated appliance embodying my invention, and

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view, partially in end elevation and partially in section, of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

While the device embodying my invention is applicable to any one of a large number of electrically heated devices, it is particularly applicable to portable devices of this kind, and I have illustrated it as operatively associated with a table grill or stove 11 that comprises a casing 12 that may be of substantially circular contour and have a suitable number of supporting members 13 associated therewith. Any kind of electric heating unit may be employed with the appli-ance, and as this forms no part of my invention, I have not further illustrated or described the same.

The appliance 11 is provided with a pair of spaced terminal pins 14 mounted on the casing 12 in any manner usually employed on such appliances.

A twin supply-circuit conductor 15 has one end of each of the two conductors connected to suitable contact jaws 16 that are located in spaced relation in a contact plug 17 of the usual construction. Theplug 17 is pref- Serial No. 680,401.

erably of the kind having a two-part casing, each part 18 being made of a suitable molded electric-insulating material having a main portion that is somewhat smaller in lateral area than the outer end portion thereof. The enlarged end portion is now very generally provided for such connecting plugs in order to permit of its being grasped by the operator to remove the plug from its operative engagement on the contact pins of an electrically heated appliance.

Closely adjacent to the terminal pins and preferably, in an appliance of the character illustrated, located immediately therebelow, is a rod 19, secured to and extending from the casing, that has its outer end slotted, for a short distance, to receive the intermediate portion of a bent lever 21, of substantially U-shape. The lever 21 is provided at its longer end with a thumb rest 22 and has a plurality of openings 23 extending through the other part of the lever adjacent to the end thereof. A member 24; comprising a metal strap is bent to loosely encircle the body portion of the plug 17 and is loosely mounted on the short end of the lever member 21 by a plurality of pins 25 extending through the end portions of the member 24 being rigidly fixed therein, and being small enough to be loosely located in the openings 23.

When the contact. plug 17 is pushed home on the contact pins 14, the member 24 is moved toward the casing 12 of the appliance and the lever 21 is moved to substantially the position illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing. If it is desired to remove the plug, it is only necessary for the operator to place one or more fingers of one hand beneath the outer enlarged end of the plug 17 and to operatively engage the thumb rest 22 with the thumb of the same hand and then to move the thumb away from the appliance, at the same time pressing upwardly against the outer end of the plug 17 with the fingers operativelv engaging the same. The pressure of the thumb tends to move the plug in a direction substantially parallel to its length and to the length of the contact pins and will result in causing disengagement of the plug from the pins without tending to move the light appliance relatively to a supporting surface therefor.

As the short end of the lever 21 moves in an arcuate path and the loo?) member 24 is forced to move in substantially :1 straight path, by reason of its fitting around the plug member 17, both movements will be effected by reason of the enlarged openings 23, thus permitting the end of the lever to move in an arcuate path and also permitting the loop member 24 to move in substantially a straight path, while being pressed against the enlarged outer end portion of the plug 17.

The device embodying my invention thus provides a balanced-pressure plug removmg means that is operatively associated with an electrically heated appliance and that may be made sutficiently small and inconspicuous, that it will not detract from the appearance of the a pliance. Its operation is surh that there will be no tendency of the appliance to move on a supporting surface during the operation of the device.

As above stated, the device embodying my invention may be employed with any one of a number of relatively light portable electrically heated devices, suc as table cooking appliances that are usually employed upon ighly polished tables.

Various modifications and changes may be made without depart-ing from the spirit and scope of the invention, I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by the prior art or are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: 35

1. The combination with an electrically heated device comprising a plurality of contact pins and a contact lug o cratively engaging said contact pins, ot a manually actuable balanced-pressure plug-removing means pivotally mounted on said device below said contact pins.

2. The combination with an electrically heated device comprising a plurality of contact pins and a contact plug operatively engaging said contact ins, of means compr1s1n a lever, of an stantially U-Shflllifi pivota 1y mounted on said device below said" contact pins, and an annular member loosely operatively secured to said lever and surrounding said plug for disengaging said plug from said contact pins. e

3. The combination with an electrically heated device comprising a plurality of contact pins, and a contact plug normally operatively engagin said P1115, of a supporting member on sai device below said contact, pins, and a manually-operable plug-remov ing means pivotally mounted on said supporting member.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 26th day of Nov m;

ber 1923.

ORA A. COLBY. 

